LONDON — At least two government agencies have officials in place to investigate the Easter Sunday accident at Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO) that left one contractor dead and eight other workers injured as investigators conduct mandatory post-accident inspections at Entergy Corp.’s plant.

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responded Sunday immediately after Wade Walters, 24, of Russellville was fatally injured and eight others were sent to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center when a 600-ton stator, the stationary portion of electric generator, fell as it was being moved.

Juan Rodriguez, spokesman for the Department of Labor, confirmed Wednesday that ANO notified OSHA of the incident Sunday.

“Our investigators are there to inspect the area for any violations,” Rodriguez said. “If any standards have been violated, we will issue a citation that can come with monetary penalties.”

OSHA has a specific time-line for completing its inspection of the facilities where employees must return to and engage in work activities.

A company is required to contact OSHA within eight hours of an accident and OSHA has up to six months to complete the inspection. According to OSHA officials, the investigation began Sunday and investigators have been on site since Monday.

“Every incident is different,” Rodriguez said. “Companies are mandated to report three or more injuries or one fatality. They would have to call OSHA right away. Basically we go in to the scene and interview witnesses and employees. Inspectors check any equipment failure and review OSHA records of past incidents to see if ANO has been in compliance.”

“Release of the documents relevant to the investigation is forthcoming. The documents will be made available to the public.”

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was also informed Sunday of the accident. That agency has two permanent resident inspectors stationed at the ANO plant. Two additional inspectors were dispatched to ANO to provide assistance, according to the NRC.

“The focus of the NRC is nuclear safety,” NRC public affairs officer Victor Dricks said. “The plant is in stable condition and there was no radiological release.

“OSHA is looking at the root cause determination of the factors that led to the accident,” Dricks said. “As far as the ANO response, no reactor was in any danger from what we have seen so far. We will be looking at it in greater depth. This was an unusual event and there are aspects of it that are unique.”

“NRC policy requires a report to be released within 45 days of a concluded inspection,” Dricks said. As of Wednesday, the inspection had not begun, but agency investigators had begun gathering information.